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Introducing MODE: Snap-and-swap watch bands designed for Android Wear
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
With
Android Wear
, you can wear what you want with watches from 12 different brands and thousands of
interchangeable watch faces
. And while you can change your watch face with just a tap, it has not been as quick and easy to change your watch band. Starting today, updating your style is as easy as “snap-and-swap,” with new MODE watch bands in partnership with b&nd by Hadley Roma.
Change your look with one click
MODE snap-and-swap watch bands feature a simple slide button so you can attach and detach your band in one click.
MODE bands are versatile—they come in four widths, fit most Android Wear watches, and work on mechanical watches too. This first collection comes in a rainbow of colors, and is available in leather and silicone, so you can easily go from the office to the gym to a night out.
Join the bandwagon
This is just the beginning. We want Android Wear to give you as much choice as possible, so we’ll be sharing the MODE mechanism design and source with other brands to use to create their own snap-and-swap watch bands. To help brands get started, we’ve created a vendor playbook with instructions, requirements and brand guidelines. To find out more, email us at
wearMODE@google.com
.
MODE bands are now available online at the
Google Store (US)
,
Amazon
, and
Best Buy
. We’re excited to see all the ways you wear what you want.
Learn more about MODE at
g.co/WearMODE
.
Posted by Gina Reimann & Jen Lu, Design Lead & Product Manager, Google Accessories
Welcome to Google Play Music, the podcast episode
Monday, April 18, 2016
Hello, and welcome to the latest episode of Google Play Music. Today we’re going to talk about something near and dear to my heart: podcasts.
People love podcasts. In fact, these days, there are so many podcasts to choose from, it can be hard to pick which one to listen to at any given time. That’s where Google Play Music comes in. Google Play Music already gives you the right kind of music for the right moment—whether you want to
have fun at work
, prepare for a
dance party
, or just
need to focus
—and now, that includes podcasts.
Starting today on the web and rolling out on Android in the U.S. and Canada, we’ll connect you with podcasts based on what you’re doing, how you’re feeling and what you’re interested in. Similar to our contextual playlists for music, we want to make it easy to find the right podcast—whether you’re a podcast aficionado or listening for the first time.
Try “
Learning Something New
” to talk about at a dinner party and listen to our favorite episodes from
Stuff You Should Know
or
How To Do Everything
. Enjoy a Sunday afternoon by “
Getting Lost in a Story
” with episodes from
Radiolab
or
Reply All
, or relax after a long day by “
Laughing Out Loud
” to Marc Maron’s
WTF
or Chris Hardwick’s
The Nerdist
. If you find something you love, subscribe to download the last several episodes automatically on your device or choose to be notified every time a new episode comes out.
And to all you creators who want to make your podcast available in Google Play Music, check out the
podcast portal
for more details.
Thanks to our invaluable partners without whom the world would be a boring place. And to all you podcast lovers, keep listening!
This week’s episode is brought to you by
Google Play
. With Google Play, you can get millions of apps, games, songs, movies & TV shows, books and news sources—all your favorites, all in one place.
Hosted by Ilia Malkovitch, Product Manager, Google Play Music
Introducing custom Live Cases to bring your Nexus phone to life
Thursday, April 14, 2016
These days there are few things more personal to you than your phone – with all your photos, messages and handpicked apps at your fingertips, it’s almost like a reflection of yourself. Starting today, we're giving you a new way to make your phone even more you.
My Live Case
lets people create their own snap case for Nexus 5X, 6, and 6P phones, by customizing it with a favorite photo or map.
Our design studio on the Google Store allows you to personalize your phone case with either your favorite photo or a special place on Google Maps. Then, with dozens of filters, you can make your design fit your style – be it vibrant and bright or polished and chic. Along with your signature case, you get a live wallpaper to bring your design to life on your home screen.
Photos Live Case, designed with your favorite photo
Showcase a shot of your family, dog, or any other fave photo. Just upload a pic to the site, choose a style, and you’re done. Snap on your case to see your home screen turn into a slideshow of poses that you handpicked from Google Photos. To add more shots to your wallpaper, simply tap the shortcut button on the back of your case to launch your camera.
Places Live Case, styled with your happy place
Fashion your phone with a stylized map of your favorite location from around the world – whether it’s your dream vacation destination or hometown. Your live wallpaper will show a map of your whereabouts as you go about your day. With a tap of the shortcut button, the app will show you what’s nearby on Google Maps.
Check out some cool cases that The Dogist, Dan Rubin, Marques Brownlee and others have made for Nexus phones.
Now, go forth and customize! Visit the
Google Store
to make your own.
Posted by Kari Clark, Senior Manager, Live Cases
A new look for the Google Play family of apps
Monday, April 4, 2016
Whether you like watching
Despicable Me
on Google Play Movies & TV, streaming “Sorry” on Play Music, battling your friend in Clash Royale on Play Games or reading John Grisham’s latest on Play Books, Google Play is your home for the best apps, games and digital entertainment. Since launching Google Play four years ago, we've always had dedicated apps in addition to the Google Play store. Today, all our icons are getting an update to provide a consistent look across the entire family of Play apps.
You’ll start to see the new Google Play icons across devices and online in the coming weeks. We hope you’ll continue enjoying the Play family of products—now with a new look.
Posted by Jonathan Chung, Visual Design Lead, Google Play
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